{"id":1470,"date":"2020-01-17T15:52:00","date_gmt":"2023-10-18T15:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/?p=1470"},"modified":"2023-10-18T17:35:35","modified_gmt":"2023-10-18T17:35:35","slug":"an-introduction-to-low-code-app-development","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/ca\/blog\/an-introduction-to-low-code-app-development\/","title":{"rendered":"An Introduction To Low-Code App Development"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The apps we use to order food in our personal lives or manage inventory at work have become so sophisticated that creating software now feels more than merely a technical discipline. <\/p>\n

App development seems to have become almost an art form. <\/p>\n

And unfortunately, not all of us consider ourselves artists. <\/p>\n

When you\u2019re trying to grow a relatively young business, for example, your mind is probably focused primarily on how best to market yourself and attract customers, or how to close deals once they\u2019ve shown some interest. <\/p>\n

Creative work like app development might feel like a luxury, and something beyond your skill set anyway. <\/p>\n

No matter the industry in which you operate, however, you\u2019re bound to run into more examples of competitors, partners and even customers who are using apps to accomplish a wide range of tasks. <\/p>\n

Not having any apps of your own may start to feel like an area of weakness. <\/p>\n

This becomes even more challenging when you finally begin to figure out the next best step. Do you hire an outside firm, even if you\u2019re not sure how best to evaluate them, or do you bring on internal developers? <\/p>\n

What kind of budget can you afford? What\u2019s a reasonable timeline and what scope of functionality is essential? <\/p>\n

Making things even more confusing is the variety of approaches that are now available. Tools describing themselves as \u201call-code,\u201d \u201clow-code\u201d and even\u201dno-code\u201d are now everywhere, but parsing such jargon probably feels as time-consuming as learning to program yourself.<\/p>\n

Rather than give up, use the next few minutes to read this primer on low-code app development<\/a>, which may be the quickest, easiest and best way to overcome traditional barriers to creating outstanding software. <\/p>\n

What is low-code app development? <\/h2>\n

You may know little about computer programming, but you\u2019ve probably cut and pasted text from one document to another, or dragged some numbers between rows in a spreadsheet. <\/p>\n

Low-code tools were designed in recognition of the fact that, even if someone isn\u2019t a professional developer, they might have a good idea for an app and how it should be put together. To execute on those ideas, though, it needs to be as easy as word-processing or managing an Excel file. <\/p>\n

Imagine an online portal or console where you see the features and functions you want in an app represented in little blocks on one side. Adding to the app involves literally clicking on the boxes you want and moving them over to another area of the page. <\/p>\n

All the underlying elements, like the code a developer would write manually, are still there. They\u2019ve just been abstracted into visual elements that a non-technical person can easily manipulate. <\/p>\n

How does the low-code app development process work?<\/h2>\n

Low-code is different than \u201cno code\u201d in that some technical work will still be involved. This could include ensuring your app integrates properly with back-end systems \u2014like connecting an HR app to your payroll system, for instance. <\/p>\n

Besides easing the process of creating an app for a business professional, low-code tools help whomever manages your IT infrastructure, too. <\/p>\n

The underlying \u201cplumbing\u201d that would normally take a lot of time and effort from those with a developer\u2019s skills is minimized, so that they can focus on releasing and continually improving the app. Or simply focus on more critical IT issues. <\/p>\n

How should I evaluate low-code development tools?<\/h2>\n

Even if this is your first time seriously considering a mobile app to support your business, you can spot the kind of low-code development platform or tools you need<\/a> by making sure they meet the following criteria:<\/p>\n